University General Course Catalog 2023-2024 
    Jul 16, 2024  
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University General Course Catalog 2023-2024

International Affairs, B.A.

The International Affairs Program is an interdisciplinary degree program for undergraduate students. The program provides opportunities for students to explore diverse course options throughout the University and develop an area of expertise relating to students’ own interests. Students may choose to focus their studies within a discipline or across disciplines. Students can take advantage of the diverse course offerings within the College of Liberal Arts as well as in other Schools and Colleges at the University. International Affairs students interested in environmental studies, geography, business, journalism, literature, economics, policy, or regional studies, to name a few, are encouraged to incorporate relevant coursework in these areas into their degree plans. The flexibility built into the interdisciplinary International Affairs Program assists students in preparing themselves for advanced educational opportunities and professional careers in an increasingly interdependent world. International Affairs students select among courses that match their degree plan and their chosen area of specialization, or “Emphasis.”

The major in International Affairs requires students to complete 33 credits. The coursework consists of an 18-unit required component and a 15-unit Emphasis. Students may use up to nine credits from a minor or second major toward their International Affairs course requirements. The diversity of options within the major and opportunities to study abroad mean that students should seek academic advisement prior to enrollment each semester.

Students should plan to take PSC 211 or PSC 231 and foreign language courses during their first year. In some cases, introductory courses at the 200-level may be recommended in the second semester. Students wanting to take upper-division economics courses as part of the International Affairs degree program should plan to take ECON 102 and/or ECON 103 as prerequisite courses. Students may opt to write a senior thesis and/or complete an internship to satisfy three to six credits of the program’s Emphasis requirement. Students should contact the International Affairs advisor for more information. Internships require approval and must be completed in accordance with program and University guidelines.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:

  • demonstrate critical thinking, writing and communication skills.
  • demonstrate knowledge of international systems, and issues.

Contact Information

Department of Political Science
Thompson Building 221
(775) 784-4601
https://www.unr.edu/political-science/advising

College of Liberal Arts Student Center
Thompson Building 101
(775) 682-8745
https://www.unr.edu/liberal-arts/student-resources/academic-advising

Transfer to the University of Nevada, Reno

Use the transfer agreement  and the degree planner (available by clicking at the top right of this page) to build your plan for graduation with your advisor. Course substitutions not identified on the transfer agreement require UNR advisor approval.

If a major-to-major transfer agreement is not available for your transfer institution, please check the General Core agreement   if available. If neither is available, access Transferology to assist in your planning.

Graduation Requirements

  • Total Units | 120
  • Cumulative GPA | 2.0
  • University GPA | 2.0
  • Major GPA | 2.0
  • Residency Requirement |  30 Upper-Division Units at UNR
  • Major Residency Requirement | 15 Upper-Division Units in the major at UNR
  • Upper-Division Requirement | 42 Upper-Division Units

I. Core General Education Requirements (24-27 units)

NOTE: Refer to the Core Curriculum chapter of this catalog for information regarding  the “Core English and Math Completion Policy  .”

Students in this major must meet all Core Objectives (CO1 through CO14). Courses satisfying Core Objectives are designated (e.g., CO9) in General Catalog curricula and course descriptions.

A. Composition & Communication; Critical Analysis & Use of Information (3-6 units) - CO1, CO3

B. Quantitative Reasoning (3 units minimum) - CO2

Refer to the Core Curriculum chapter for a list of approved CO2 courses .

C. Physical & Natural Phenomena (6 units minimum) - CO4, CO4L

Refer to the Core Curriculum chapter for a list of approved CO4/CO4L courses .

D. Cultures, Societies, & Individuals (3 units) - CO6

E. Artistic Composition, Interpretation, & Expression (3 units) - CO7

Refer to the Core Curriculum chapter for a list of approved CO7 courses .

F. History & Culture (3 units) - CO5

Refer to the Core Curriculum chapter for a list of approved CO5  courses.

G. Constitution (3 units) - CO8

Refer to the Core Curriculum chapter for a list of approved CO8  courses. PSC 101  is recommended.

II. Additional Core Requirements (18 units maximum)

Students must take courses that satisfy the following Core Objectives. Some or all of these Core Objectives may be satisfied in the Major Requirements (Section IV).  Refer to the Core Curriculum  chapter in this catalog.

A. Science, Technology & Society - CO9

Refer to the Core Curriculum chapter for a list of approved CO9 courses .

B. Diversity & Equity - CO10

Refer to the Core Curriculum chapter for a list of approved CO10  courses.

C. Global Context - CO11

Choose one course:

D. Ethics - CO12

Choose one course; the following courses are recommended:

E. Capstone Integration & Synthesis - CO13

Choose one course; the following courses are recommended:

F. Application - CO14

Choose one course; the following recommended courses can be used in the Major Requirement:

III. Additional College Requirements (6-20 units)

Units may vary depending on initial course placement in foreign language coursework.

A. World Language Requirement (0-14 units)

Students seeking this bachelor’s degree must demonstrate proficiency in a world language other than English equal to a fourth semester course level through one of the following options:

  1. complete a fourth semester college course in a world language other than English;
  2. demonstrate proficiency through a means determined by the Department of World Languages and Literatures including but not limited to minimum standardized test scores (CBAPE, SAT II, or IB), attaining a minimum aptitude on an accredited world language assessment test, or providing transcript evidence of a high school or equivalent diploma in which English was not the language of instruction; or,
  3. participate in a study abroad language program pre-approved by the Department of World Languages and Literatures to meet the world language requirement. 

Note: Four years of high school world language instruction does not automatically satisfy this requirement.

B. College Breadth Requirement (6 units)

Students seeking a Bachelor of Arts degree in the college shall be required to take, within the College of Liberal Arts, 6 units that are outside the departments in which they major or minor, and that exclude courses taken to fulfill the Core General Education requirements (Core Objectives 1 through 8).

IV. Major Requirements (30-33 units)

NOTE: Several approved courses may be listed in multiple sections of these major requirements, but each course can only be used within the major once to satisfy a single major requirement. Students may need to work with an academic advisor to ensure optimal placement of certain courses within the major on the student’s advising report.

A. International Relations (0-3 units)

B. International Economic Institutions (3 units)

C. Culture, Geography and Ideas (6 units)

The courses here are appropriate and pre-approved for the “Culture, Geography, and Ideas” requirement. Some of the pre-approved courses have prerequisites and corequisites, some of which may be associated with another minor or major. Many of the courses do not have prerequisites. You may consult with an International Affairs advisor regarding alternate courses that are not on this list.

D. Research Tools (3 units)

E. Upper-Division Diplomacy (3 units)

F. Emphases (15 units)

Students will declare one of the following Emphases and complete 15 units in courses numbered 300-499 within the Emphasis. In consultation with an International Affairs advisor, other upper-division courses not listed below (such as internship, thesis, and special topics courses, or coursework taken via study abroad) may be applied to the Emphasis requirement when the content of such courses is relevant to the emphasis area.

Emphasis: Diplomacy, Law, and Organization

This course list includes upper-division courses with content relating to the diplomacy, law, and organization, with a focus outside the United States. Other courses may be approved in consultation with an International Affairs advisor. Note that some of the pre-approved courses have prerequisites and corequisites outside the International Affairs major.

Emphasis: International Economic Institutions

This course list includes upper-division courses with content relating to the international economics. Other courses may be approved in consultation with an advisor for International Affairs. Note that some of the pre-approved courses have prerequisites and corequisites outside the International Affairs major.

Emphasis: International Environmental Studies

This course list includes upper-division courses with content relating to the environment and environmental policy, with a focus that is primarily outside the United States. Other courses may be approved in consultation with an International Affairs advisor. Note that some of the pre-approved courses have prerequisites and corequisites outside the International Affairs major.

Emphasis: Africa

This course list includes upper-division courses with content relating to Africa and African states, with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa. Other courses may be approved in consultation with an International Affairs advisor. Note that some of the pre-approved courses have prerequisites and corequisites outside the International Affairs major.

Emphasis: Asia

This course list includes upper-division courses with content relating to Asia and Asian states. Other courses may be approved in consultation with an International Affairs advisor. Note that some of the pre-approved courses have prerequisites and corequisites outside the International Affairs major.

Emphasis: Europe

This course list includes upper-division courses with content relating to Europe and European states. Other courses may be approved in consultation with an International Affairs advisor. Note that some of the pre-approved courses have prerequisites and corequisites outside the International Affairs major.

Emphasis: Latin America

This course list includes upper-division courses with content relating to Latin America and states in this region. Other courses may be approved in consultation with an International Affairs advisor. Note that some of the pre-approved courses have prerequisites and corequisites outside the International Affairs major.

Emphasis: Middle East and North Africa

This course list includes upper-division courses with content relating to the Middle East and North Africa and states in this region. Other courses may be approved in consultation with an International Affairs advisor. Note that some of the pre-approved courses have prerequisites and corequisites outside the International Affairs major.

Emphasis: Custom Emphasis

Students have the option of designing their International Affairs Emphasis in consultation with an International Affairs advisor. The Emphasis must include content consistent with an understanding of international affairs an interdisciplinary area of study, which includes diverse topics to culture, politics, economics, and society, among others. Emphasis courses must be upper-division content courses. They cannot be courses designed specifically for language-learning, methodological training, or training in technical or laboratory work. All courses included in a Custom Emphasis will require advisor approval.

V. Minor Requirements (18-21 units)

The International Affairs program accepts any minor approved by the College of Liberal Arts.

VI. Electives (1-24 units)

VII. Recommended Schedule

NOTE: Students wishing to take upper-division Economics coursework to satisfy any International Affairs major requirements should consider taking ECON 102 and ECON 103 during the first or second year.

A. First Year

Fall Semester (16 units)

  • Prerequisite Core English (3 units) *
  • Quantitative Reasoning (3 units) CO2*
  • Foreign Language 111 (4 units)
  • Artistic Composition, Interpretation, & Expression (3 units) CO7

Spring Semester (16 units)

  • (3 units) CO1, CO3 *
  • Physical & Natural Phenomena (3 units) CO4L
  • Foreign Language 112 (4 units)
  • Minor (100-200 level) (3 units)
  • IAFF “Culture, Geography and Ideas” Major (3 units)

  •  

  • * English and Math course placement is based on test scores. Please consult the Core Curriculum  chapter in this catalog.

B. Second Year

Fall Semester (15 units)

Spring Semester (15 units)

C. Third Year

Fall Semester (15 units)

Spring Semester (15 units)

  • Science, Technology & Society (3 units) CO9
  • IAFF “Emphasis” Major (300-400 level) (3 units)
  • IAFF “Emphasis” Major (300-400 level) (3 units)
  • IAFF “International Economic Institutions” Major (3 units)
  • Minor (300-400 level) (3 units)

D. Fourth Year

Fall Semester (15 units)

  • IAFF “Emphasis” Major (300-400 level) (3 units)
  • IAFF “Emphasis” Major (300-400 level) (3 units)
  • Capstone Integration & Synthesis (3 units) CO13
  • Ethics (3 units) CO12
  • Minor (300-400 level) (3 units) 

Spring Semester (13 units)

  • Application (3 units) CO14
  • Minor (300-400 level) (6 units)
  • General Elective (4 units)

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